A House Divided? Sunetra Pawar's Letter To ECI Sparks Speculation Of A Split Within NCP

Last Updated:April 04, 2026, 14:37 IST

Even as recent developments have fuelled talk of a rift within the NCP, Ajit Pawar’s son Parth has sought to downplay the buzz, insisting the party remains united.

Even as the letter submitted by Sunetra Pawar on behalf of Nationalist Congress Party (AP) was out in the open, speculation has been rife that top leaders in the party do not see eye to eye.

The letter, signed and sent by Maharashtra deputy chief minister and NCP chief Sunetra Pawar to the Election Commission of India (ECI), did not include the designations of party seniors Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare.

This has led to speculation of a rift between Sunetra Pawar, Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel.

On the other hand, while Sunetra Pawar was in Delhi, Praful Patel did not meet her. However, Sunetra Pawar and her son paid a courtesy visit to Patel at his Delhi residence.

What Is The Letter War About?

After the death of former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare dispatched a letter to the Election Commission, asserting that the Executive President holds powers equivalent to those of the President and would, therefore, assume command of the party.

This letter was sent within 24 hours of Ajit Pawar’s death, following which Sunetra Pawar was appointed as the party’s President on February 26.

Upon assuming the presidency, Sunetra Pawar issued directives rejecting proposals to amend the party’s constitution and to grant additional powers to the Executive President—namely, Praful Patel. This led to resentment among Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare.

Later, Sunetra Pawar sent a second letter to the Election Commission, in which she designated herself as holding the position of National President as well as Treasurer. While this letter did mention the names of Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare, it conspicuously omitted any mention of the specific posts they held within the party.

Amid these developments, Sanjay Raut of Shiv Sena (UBT) claimed that Ajit Pawar’s party is on the verge of a split, and that 25 to 30 of its MLAs could soon defect to the BJP. He further suggested that the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) could face a similar fate.

Meanwhile, Vidya Chavan, a leader of the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), stated that things have not been smooth within the party since the death of Ajit Pawar. She alleged that Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare are attempting to seize control of the party.

Meanwhile, Ajit Pawar’s son, Parth Pawar, took to X, formerly Twitter, to issue a clarification, assuring everyone that everything is indeed fine within the party.

He stated that the party is working in collaboration with senior leaders such as Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel, and that all speculation is baseless.

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